This invention relates to the extrication of immobile automobiles when one or more tires are trapped in ruts in ice, snow or mud such that driving wheels traction is not enough to develop motion of the vehicle.
There are several well-known means for removing an automobile from ruts in mud, snow or ice. These involve the use of rock salt, abrasive such as sand or gravel, rocking motion brought about by rapid changes in the gears of the automobile from forward to reverse, manual pushing, and tow trucks equipped with mechanical winches. Of these methods, the most successful involves the use of tow trucks equipped with mechanical winches. But during periods of severe weather conditions it is difficult to secure the service of a tow truck with winching capabilities. Thus, most often, motorists resort to one of the first four methods. The rocking motion method is the most frequently used technique. Unfortunately, it is also the one method which results in the waste of gasoline and wear and tear on the tires and transmission of the vehicle. Manual pushing, which requires more than one person, is frequently successful but it involves the risk of bodily injury and also a considerable waste of gasoline as the driver attempts to aid the human pushers.
It would be useful to have a device that an average individual could use to extricate an immobile vehicle from an ice, snow or mud rut and that would be small and lightweight enough to be inserted in the trunk of an automobile. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means of extricating a vehicle from a rut. It is a further object of the present invention to make a lightweight and portable automobile pusher.
Other objects of this invention will become obvious in the course of the detailed description.